Morning journal and courier., 1887-09-08
THE OLD TWENTY-sEVENTH.

Yesterday the Most Successful Held
 Yet-One Hundred and Fifty of the
 old Soldiers Together With Their
 Families Pnrtake of a Rig Dinner,
 Listen to speeches and Enjoy Big
 Family Picnic.
 The survivors of the Twenty seventh regi- ment, Connecticut Volunteers, held their nineteenth annual reunion at Pawson Park, and most successful one it was in every respect.
 The Twenty -seventh's record is q history of nine months of the hardest kind of camp agning. fighting at Fredericksburg, Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburgh and other noted battle fields of the civil war Those who survive are proud of the Twenty-seventh's record and well they may be.
 At 10 o'clock yesterday morning 150 of the veterans together with their wives and fam flies took steamer to Pawson Park, the scene of the reunion and festivities. There were about 400 people on board. The trip down was rather rough one for the ladies, 8 lively breeze creating quite little swell on the water. The time was passed pleasantly enough, however, by the veterans who gath cred in little knots about the steamer and re- newed old acquaintanceship, recolections of war days and battlefelds. An orchestra furnished music, which was hugely enjoyed by the young people aboard.
 Arriving at the Park 8 business meeting took place, after which fine dinner awaited inc Veterans whose appetites had been whetted by the sail. After the major portion of Manager Beach's excellent repast had been slowed away properly an adjournment was taken to the dancing pavilion in the grove where the exercises of the day, which were of a very interesting charater, were held. The aJ 5o hr s. Thomas, president of the association. He said:
 Comrades-It is indeed gratifying to meet such large gathering upon this our nine- teenth reunion. It is an evidence that the survivors of our good old regiment have not forgotten the friendships formed in days lang syne, friendships which began in Camp Terry and which have grown stronger and stronger through all this lapse of time What was a mere acquaintance twenty five years ago is now Q firm band Of union be- tween us, and to-day we grasp the hand ot our old comrades, as we grasp the hand or our brother. We peer eagerly in each others faces to see who we can recognize, an d as our memory goes back to other days and other scenes, the forms and features of our old associates gradually come out from the dusky past, at first faintly, then steadily brightning until they stand out bold and distinct like the picture from the camera. One by one these old familiar faces come back to our memory, bringing up scenes and incidents of camp life long forgotten. In my own case am sure can recognize here to-day a member of Company G who was credited with always being the first man at the cook tent and the last man to leave it. And we have another good man with us who passed so much of his time in the guard house that he began to think he owned it. And there is another old comrade here who has changed but little since the time when he use to steal out of camp with a canteeR under his vest and forged order from the surgeon in his pocket and speed away mp to commissary headquarters for whisky. And am proud to see that we have with US to- day one of my own theological students Of Company E, who, like good soldier, walked two whole days in barrel without grumb- ling.
 And, comrades, can see if I cannot hear the resonants of that famous regimental quartette, whose horrid singing it was said drove the wild beasts from the forests of Falmouth. It was further reported that once upon calm night this quartette was heard by the enemy across the river, who sounded the long roll and prepared for a night attack from some strong army of hye- nies. Like phantoms in play these ine1- dents of camp life come out from dim background and stand before us as brightly as if they occurred but yesterday.
 Comrades, we would that all of these were living pictures, and that we could to- day welcome among us each and every one of these old associates. But many of these pictures of the past have a somber border; many a familiar face is framed in sorrow and gloom. So long as we meet in these annual reunions let us not forget those who went forth with us twenty five years ago and did not return. As they lay in the trenches at Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and Get tysburg let us keep fresh and green their memory. Let us remember them as we knew them in csmp, on the march and in the battle front Let us recall their deeds as we are sure they would recall ours were our fate reversed. These dead comrades have relatives and friends with us to-day, and it will be some satisfaction for them to know that the dear ones that they have mourned for quarter of century are not forgotten by their old comrades in arms. As we listen to the mortuary list year after year, as we gather at these reunions, we realize more and more how time is thinning our ranks. Faster and faster, as years creep upon us,do we respond to the long roll, and another seat at our gathering is vacant. Scarcely one month ago Comrsde Gay, of Company H, was antic1pat- ing much pleasure in being with us to-day. One week later six of his old associates of the a7th lowered his body into the grave. Those of us who knew him in his military and civic life, knew that we were burying brave soldier, quiet and honored citizen, and a beloved brother of Admiral Foote post And in this connection permit me to sug- gest that it would be wise and for the best interest of the veterans if they would take membership in some Grand Army post. l know that many of you are already members and hope the time is near when every sur vivor of the Twenty-seventh will be in this order. Comrades, the Grand Army of the Republic is organized for our mutual benefit. FuI. {<o otI 0fh binds us still closer in the bonds of brother hood, and now that the war is over and we are advancing in years we should stand shoulder to shoulder just the same as when
 charging battery or meeting an assault. At the close and throughout his remarks President Thomas was loudly applauded. MT. E. G. Mansfield, the secretary of the the association, next read 8 paper, f'The
 Battle of Fredericksburgh, by Lieutenant s. M. Smith. It was as follows:
 "Our march across Chain Bridge, through Georgetown and Washington and down the Potomac, is almost as fresh in my memory as if it happened only very recently. We made fifteen and twenty miles day, very good time for regiment without any pre- vious marching experience. I shall never forget the great variety of dispositions ex- hibited on that march, some relieving their tired comrades by carrying their knapsacks or anything that might help them keep up with the regiment. HOW WonQeI1ully well that march brought out the good points of our natures, the sympathy and kindness then shown to each other produced friendship that can never be effaced. The march also developed a surprising number of foragers who would have done honor to the bum mers' in General Sherman's army in thei1 March to the Sea-
 Although we had the strictest orders moi to take anything from our neighbors in passing through Maryland we had ample evi dence daily, as well as nightly, that our Ma ryland farmers furnished us with their full quota of substantials and delicacies.
 "I suppose it is allowable in my case tc acknowledge, at this late day, my thanks te Comrades Lee, Dickinson and Heitman fol | the many slices of fresh young pig and deli cate fried chicken furnished me at that time
 "At last, after four or five days march we reached Liverpool Point, where we were | ferried across to Acquia landing amidst driving snow storm, which lasted about two ! days.
 'Here it was we experienced our frs \ bangs of hunger, our own supplies being exhausted and being wholly unable to pro